OBITUARY: 'One of the sharpest minds I have ever come across,' Martin Mansergh remembered

One of the sharpest minds that I have ever come across, has been lost to the world with the passing of Dr Martin Mansergh.

Martin passed away suddenly while on a trip with other retired parliamentarians to the Western Sahara.

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Born December 31, 1946 in Woking, Surrey, England, to Diana Mary (née Keeton) and Nicholas Mansergh, a county Tipperary-born Irish historian, his forefathers were part of the Anglo-Irish Protestant Ascendancy and arrived in Ireland with Oliver Cromwell.

Martin was raised in England and lived in the Cambridgeshire town of Little Shelford.

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He was educated at The King's School, Canterbury, and Christ Church, Oxford, where he studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics and obtained a PhD in pre-revolutionary French history.

When he finished his research studies in Oxford University, Martin chose public service in Ireland over the many options available to him, returning to the family home in Friarsfield, just outside Tipperary Town.

He entered the Department of Foreign Affairs, being appointed a Third secretary in 1974 and became a First Secretary in 1977.

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Later recruited by Taoiseach Charles Haughey, he worked for the Fianna Fáil party thereafter, serving under three Fianna Fáil leaders as Director of Research, Policy and Special Advisor on Northern Ireland where he was involved in discussions between the nationalist parties and the Irish Government and met regularly with intermediary Father Alec Reid.

He was a key member of the team which formed the Fianna Fáil–Labour Party coalition in 1992 and was also involved in the formation of the Fianna Fáil–Progressive Democrats coalition in 1997.

As a senior adviser to successive Taoisigh, Mansergh had played a key role in the Northern Ireland peace process over twenty years. He ran for Fianna Fáil as a Dáil candidate in the Tipperary South constituency at the 2002 general election but failed to be elected with 14.2% of the poll.

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However, Mansergh was elected to the 22nd Seanad by the Agricultural Panel in July of that year.

At the 2007 general election he again ran for Fianna Fáil as a Dáil candidate in the Tipperary South constituency, this time being elected with 15.7% of the poll and was subsequently appointed a Minister of State, a role which included responsibility for the Office of Public Works, that he held from 2008 to 2011.

It is hard to put into words the impact that Dr Mansergh had as a diplomat, a parliamentarian, a historian, and a peace advocate.

He had a brilliant mind, which set him apart for his exceptional knowledge and understanding of national and international affairs.

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Few if any people have ever served their country as a diplomat, an advisor to Taoisigh, a Senator, a Deputy, and a Minister. His contribution to peace on this island can not be overstated.

His negotiations along with Fr Alec Reid, with the Republican Movement, held in secret in Belfast, proved to be a cornerstone in securing peace in Northern Ireland.

Former President of Sinn Féin, Gerry Adams, said that Martin Mansergh was "a key figure in the efforts to build the peace process with the success of the negotiations leading to the Good Friday Agreement".

Martin was justly awarded the Tipperary International Peace Award in 1995, alongside the Rev. Roy Magee and Fr. Alec Reid, for their efforts in that regard.

Martin was very proud of the work of Tipperary Peace Convention and would advise on the nominees each year, while always stating that the final decision "was a matter for the committee only".

In December of last year, Dr Mansergh received a special award from Tipperary Peace Convention for promoting peace through dialogue, at a special event at the Tipperary Excel.

Throughout his busy life, Dr Mansergh was very generous with his time to any person or organisation that sought his assistance. While he lived in Killiney with his wife Liz, Tipperary was most certainly his home and he was back home in Tipperary at every available opportunity.

On a personal level, I had a long friendship and association with Martin.

As a Minister of State, he always made himself available for any event that I was organising, and his remarks were always so well delivered and appropriate to the occasion.

When I wrote my first book Tipperary People of Great Note, it was Martin that I approached to write the Foreword and for permission to use a copy of a painting by his late mother of the Glen of Aherlow for the cover of the book.

In July of this year, I again approached Martin to write a Foreword to Volume 2 of Tipperary People of Great Note.

We met at Friarsfield where I delivered the manuscript to him.

He emailed the Foreword to me in August, telling me that he was on holiday in Mayo on a wet evening and asking me to be sure and tell him when the book was ready to launch.

I very much regret that Martin will not be with us for the launch, but I have no doubt that he will be with us in spirit. I was very proud of Martin's achievements and particularly his elevation to Minister of State.

I always felt regret that Martin didn't succeed in getting another term in Dáil Eireann and perhaps a senior Cabinet Ministry, but that was not to be.

Despite all his achievements and his meetings with Diplomats and Heads of State, Martin was very personable and community orientated.

He received the Cathaoirleach Award from Cllr Roger Kennedy in December 2024, recognising his significant political and academic career.

I was delighted to be invited by Martin to attend that presentation and to see him recognised by the Tipperary Cahir Cashel Municipal District.

It was worthy recognition of his stellar career. It is also worth noting that Martin was a member of the Church of Ireland, and he took a keen interest in church affairs and was a loyal parishioner of his home parish of Tipperary.

As vice-chair of the Expert Advisory Group on the Decade of Centenaries, Dr Mansergh continued to make a very valuable contribution to Irish public life and to public consideration and commemoration of the past.

Of all Martin's extensive achievements, I feel that he would be proudest of his work with Fr. Alec Reid in securing peace on this island through the Good Friday Agreement.

Many people will be unaware of the numerous meetings held in secret in Belfast with Sinn Féin, which led to the IRA ceasefire and ultimately to the signing of the Belfast Agreement.

Prior to his passing Martin had been advising on the archiving of Fr Reid's papers.

It would be great to see this work concluded.

I will leave the final words on Martin to An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, as I feel that they sum up perfectly our feelings at the loss of a great Tipperary parliamentarian and peacemaker.

"Martin was a one-off. A true Irish republican. A man of great accomplishments who leaves a proud legacy. I will miss talking to him about history, seeking his advice and hearing his unique laugh".

To Martin's wife, Liz, son, daughters, and Mansergh family members, we extend our deepest and heartfelt sympathy.